A Week Left to Live
by Lynn10
Summary: (Edited as of January, '05) Seto Kaiba has only one week to live. -Completed-
1. The Beginning of the End?

**Author Note**: This was my second story for this website (actually, my second story I've ever written), published and completed in 2003. As such, it is not very good at all, in my opinion. Please keep that in mind if you read this. I am only keeping it up as a reminder to me of where I began in writing, and how much encouragement I received from so many people on this website. That being said, if you still read on, you have been reminded that this has not been beta-read (I briefly checked for errors in 2005), nor do I consider this to be good writing. To give this story some credit, I do like some of the chapters (they still make me laugh), and I might even "re-vamp" the entire story sometime to make it more to my expectations. Thank you,

~Lynn - 06-01-09

Disclaimer: I do not own anything of particular value in this story.

A Week Left to Live

By: Lynn

* * *

It was Monday. Early in the morning, Seto Kaiba got up ready for another "wonderful" day of school, having to deal with Mokuba's overactive hyper attitude, having to deal with Yugi and Co., having to deal with angry teachers about him needing to have more friends, and having to deal with co-workers that wanted something done _their_ way, and not _his_ way. He _was_ the CEO for heaven's sake!

When he got to school, there were the insults that he shot at Joey, and Yugi's,

"Hi, Kaiba! How was your day?"

"Leave me alone, Yugi," was the indistinguishable answer he would always give.

And of course, there were the friendship lessons from Tea that would always give him a headache. Tea would natter on and on, and he would try to ignore her as best he could. Luckily, Tristan and Bakura had _some_ common sense in them to stay out of his way.

At work, the same arguments, and the same answers from him.

_Will these guys ever let up?_ _This hear headache that Tea gave me is agonizing! I need an aspirin._

Finally, the staff gave found a conclusion to their problem, and Seto got to go home.

As he drove home, he thought about the day's events.

_Why on earth am I even here? All this stress is going to kill me someday._

Breaking out of his thoughts, he swerved just in time to avoid an on-coming car. As he looked up quickly, he realized he was the one in the wrong lane, and as he turned, he plowed straight into a stop sign.

_I hate my life.

* * *

_

He got home, feeling a slight pain in his chest, and took an aspirin. But later on as he was finishing up some work, the pain got worse.

_Hold on a second, this isn't a heart attack! I'm not sixty-seven! I think I'll check with my doctor._

Seto called a cab to get to his doctor.

After waiting for an eternity in the waiting room (he made a mental note to switch hospitals as soon as this was over), he finally got to see his doctor, who only told him to wait in an office chair.

_I feel terrible. What's wrong with me?_

When the doctor came back and did the routinal check-ups on him, the look of shock on his face made Seto slightly nervous.

"Well, what's wrong with me?" He almost didn't want to know, by the grave expression on the doctor's face.

"...we need some D.N.A. scans, Mr. Kaiba."

Seto gave a confused look. "Why?"

The doctor sighed. "Mr. Kaiba, I think something's seriously wrong with you, and I want to give a few more tests before I give my verdict."

Seto, even more confused and nervous, gave his approval and then waited as the tests were completed.

The minutes flew by. Seto felt his heart beating faster and then leap as the doctor's footsteps could be heard coming back to his room. Seto stood, his fists clenched.

"Tell me right out what's wrong with me. I _want_ to know."

The doctor hesitated before speaking. "All right, Mr. Kaiba. I'll be frank with D.N.A. scans that I took from you weren't right. They were all twisted and warped." Silence, then the doctor sighed. "Mr. Kaiba, you only have a week left to live."

"WHAT?!"

"Maybe less." He started rambling."You see, we _would_ perform an operation or do _something_, but...it would take more than a week..." The doctor stuttered as he saw the expression on Seto's face. "I'm very sorry, Mr. Kaiba. You see, we really _would _do all we can, but this particular disease is...well...incurable. Another doctor said it's hereditary, but it only affects the first-born child. That is you, is it not?"

"Yes." Seto was too shocked to say anything more. He already felt lifeless as he fell back in the chair. He wanted to scream, to yell, to shake the doctor and tell him he was fired just like his associates at KaibaCorp when they told him something he didn't want to hear. But, no, this was different. It wasn't the doctor's fault for delivering this piece of news, it was his _own_ _body_.

"I'm so sorry, Mr. Kaiba--" The doctor would have gone on, but suddenly a nurse shot into the room.

"Doctor! Doctor!" she was almost screaming. "It's Room 608! We need every available pair of hands possible! The patient in the room is dying!"

"I'll be there right away," The doctor nodded. As he walked out, he sent an apologetic glance towards Kaiba.

"I _am_ sorry..."

Seto slumped back into the chair, his face in his hands. Thoughts swarmed through his mind, confused him, made him dizzy. _Why did it have to end like this? What will happen to Mokuba now? All I've worked for, and strained for, gone! Everything I had fought for, my own life, my brother's life, my company, gone! All in one crazed disease. I don't even know what I'm dying of!_

Suddenly, a simple conclusion came to him.

He stood up, and walked out of the doctor's office, acting as if nothing wrong had ever happened. He resolved only to tell Mokuba when the time was right. He would make the best out of his last days on earth.

* * *


	2. Sad Goodbyes

* * *

Tuesday passed. Seto called off work, and stayed home from school. Mokuba continued to pester him on why he looked so pale, and was tired all the time, but Seto told Mokuba to leave him alone. 

Wednesday passed. Same thing, except Seto felt worse, and slept in.

Thursday. Ditto. Seto felt so weak and depressed, he couldn't answer Mokuba when he knocked on the door. Instead, he leaned over, locked the door and mumbled a 'Go to school'.

Friday, Seto felt unusually better. He decided to go to school, to demonstrate to Mokuba he was fine.

"Seto?" The door opened, and Mokuba poked his head through it. "Are you feeling better today?"

Seto forced a smile. "I feel so much better, I'm going to school."

"Great!" Mokuba appeared much happier.

_Why do I feel so drained though?_

Just as he was about to walk out the door, the pain suddenly came back, full throttle. Seto gasped as the pain shot throughout his entire body, especially hurting in his chest. He felt as if it were going to break through his skin and burst out, almost as if a gun shot him from the inside.

_No! I have to go, now! There's no turning back._

He clenched his teeth together. This was going to be a long day.

* * *

A miserable, and somber Seto Kaiba arrived at school; the pain around his heart deadened little. He mentally hit himself as he wondered why he were even here. 

He managed to get through his first class, but in the middle of his second class, his math teacher discovered him almost slumped over.

"Mr. Kaiba, are you all right, or is it you need to catch up on your sleep?"

As more than half the class laughed, Seto caught himself almost telling the truth about the matter. Yugi and Co. were in the same class as he, and he did _not_ like getting embarrassed in front of them.

He swallowed the insult begging to emerge, and indignantly replied, "I'm…I'm not feeling well." It was true. He felt he was about to pass out.

"Well, if your sick, you should've stayed home. Now up on the board…………….."

Seto didn't hear any more, because right about then, he blacked out.

* * *

When he opened his eyes, he was lieing on a cot in the nurse's office. Leaning over him was a nurse, and Yugi Motou. 

"Um, nurse, he's up." Yugi grinned at Seto. "How are you feeling?"

"YUGI?! What are you…" He sat up, but lay back down with a groan because of the bowling ball rolling around in his head.

The nurse turned from Seto to Yugi. "So, finish your story."

"Anyway, Kaiba just blacked out, there, right in the middle of the class! We all at first thought Kaiba was doing that on purpose for rebellion's sake, but then, when Kaiba didn't answer when Sensei called on him for the umpteenth time, he knew something was wrong. I helped him bring Kaiba here. So, did you figure out why he passed out?"

"No. Probably something to do with the heat."

Seto almost rolled his eyes to the ceiling. _Some nurse_, he thought. _It's better if no one knows, anyway. _Seto tried to sit up for the second time, and succeeded.

"I feel better, now." he muttered. He got off of the cot and started to walk away.

"Are you sure?" The nurse asked, suspicious.

"Don't question me." Seto shot back as he left the room. Yugi started to follow him, but the nurse grabbed him by his shoulder and spun him around.

"Watch him for me," she whispered. "If you see the slightest trace of him acting different, come to me. I just _know_ something's not right."

"Oh, uh, okay…" Yugi was _not_ used to spying.

* * *

Meanwhile, Seto was in the principal's office. 

"So, I need go home, but I always need to ask your...uh…permission." Seto was thinking a couple things that weren't very appropriate as he spoke.

The principal nodded. "Go ahead; I'll talk with your professors. I'm terribly sorry about your illness."

Seto, wide-eyed, left the school building. _The principal must have been having a satisfying day. Or he must have…NO! The doctors didn't!_

* * *

"Yes?" Some doctor answered the phone. 

"This is Kaiba. Did you tell my head teacher that I was deathly ill?" Kaiba interrupted any words the doctor was terying to get out.

"Uh…yes, no, maybe so…"

"This is no time for rhymes; your job, and all the other doctor's jobs are at stake. I may be dying, but I still can crush you and your pitiful hospital building that gives no good service whatsoever!"

As the doctor admitted to having told the principal, Seto hung up the phone with a click.

_At this rate, the whole school and Mokuba will find out I'm dying. Is this how my life is going to end, humbly? I can't believe I'm even dying! Maybe that's why..._

He didn't finish, because Mokuba walked into the room.

"Seto…"

"What?" Seto's voice held no patience. _If Mokuba asks for my help on his homework again..._

He didn't. There was a very uncomfortable silence as Seto saw the look on Mokuba's face. It was a similar look that Seto had when his mother died in childbirth. It was a look of utter disbelief when he had discovered his father had died and they were going to an orphanage.On Mokuba's face was a realization of death.

"SETO, DON'T LEAVE ME!" Mokuba suddenly flew into Seto's arms, tears spilling down his cheeks and wetting Seto's shirt.

"Mokuba!" Seto tried to hold back his own tears, but was failing. All the emotion he had bottled up within for those few days was almostlike a dam bursting open. It was just too overwhelming for him. He didn't wonder how Mokuba had figured out about his condition. Instead he welcomed Mokuba's embrace.

"Seto, please don't go! I love you! I'll kill myself if you die!" Mokuba buried his face into Seto's trench coat and cried all the harder, clenching onto Seto as if he was about to leave that minute.

Seto squeezed back, the tears he had held back for so long came running down his cheeks. "I'm sorry, Mokuba. I'm so, so sorry. I'll do my best to hold on…" He didn't know what else to say.

They stayed that way until Mokuba cried himself to sleep in Seto's arms. And as Seto carried Mokuba up the steps to his room, he was thinking about what he just promised.

_I promised him something I could never keep. _

He put Mokuba in bed, and walked back down the staircase. As he sat in a chair, he saw a window that should never have been opened through his tears.

He frowned, then went over to it to close the thing.

_Was someone watching me?_ He shook his head, shut the window, and locked it. _If they did, I'm in trouble._

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.

_Who on earth would want to speak to me, now?_

He walked up to the door, dried his eyes as best he could, then opened it.

* * *


	3. Yugi's Note

* * *

Seto opened the door a crack. Though his eyes were red and sore from crying, he could still make out the unmistakable form of Yugi. Motou. 

"Y…Yugi?" stammered Seto, furiously wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. He hoped to death Yugi didn't see that he was showing _any_ expression of grief and lament.

Yugi gave the impression of being uncomfortable by the way he shifted his feet and stared at the ground. "Uh, hey, Kaiba--"

"What are you doing here?" Seto, now partially under control of his emotions, opened the door a little wider.

"Uh…" Yugi put his hands behind his back, and gazed up at the darkening sky. By the mid-afternoon clouds coming by, it was effortless to see that it was going to rain soon.

"Well?" Seto held no patience at the moment.

"Kaiba, I…uh…couldn't help but overhear what you talking about at school about your illness…and…"

"_WHAT?!_" Seto's head started to spin rapidly. _The doctors. The principal. Mokuba. Now Yugi. Who next?_

Yugi cringed. Not the right choice of words.

"Kaiba, what I really meant to say was, well…here." Yugi dispensed a piece of paper, and quickly turned and walked away, hands in his pockets.

Seto glanced down at the note, then back up at Yugi. He shrugged, then closed the door.

As he slowly walked over to a chair, he contemplated about how he had broken down so easily. Too easily, for his taste. _That had never happened to me before! I never cried like that in years! Could it be that I am getting soft and vulnerable with my emotions in the end?_

He opened the pathetic excuse for a paper, and started to read silently:

_Kaiba:_

_I know that some hurt feelings were shared, and_

_grudges were held, but does it really even matter now?_

_I want to be your friend, please let me! If you want_

_to talk, I'll be by the school at five._

_--Yugi_

Seto stared at the note, confused. Yes, the note _was_ cheesy, but he just didn't want to sit around and wear up his last days. Maybe Yugi _could_ help. If he did something he would regret later (like talking to Yugi, for instance), he wouldn't have to.

* * *


	4. Meet the Clique

* * *

At 5:00 sharp, Seto Kaiba arrived at the school building. The pain was temporarily gone, so it didn't hurt any as he waited. He didn't know exactly why he was there; he just knew he was…there. 

As his wristwatch showed it was 5:08, Kaiba tapped his foot impatiently. _Where is that kid, anyway? If he doesn't come in two minutes, I'm…_

He didn't get time to finish the thought, for Yugi rounded the corner. When Yugi saw that Kaiba essentially was there, he grinned, and raced up to him.

"Hey, Kaiba! You came!" Yugi's voice was filled with happiness.

Kaiba crossed his arms. "So, let's get to the point. Why did you want me to come here and meet you?"

Yugi's grin widened. "Because…"

Kaiba raised an eyebrow at Yugi's secreted answer. "Yes?"

"Well," Yugi started. "I just thought that we could, uh, you know, now that you're not in full health, I could help you feel better! What do ya say?" He waited in anticipation.

Kaiba's eyes widened. "You brought me out here just to become friends? I have better ways to spend my time, Yugi."

"What? Fine, Kaiba, I'll tell you what. Give me this evening and I'll show you before tonight what it's like to have a friend. Not just a companion, but a _real_ friend, and we'll start now! Okay?" Yugi crossed his arms.

Kaiba couldn't resist a competition. "Fine."

* * *

Kaiba followed Yugi, wishing he didn't agree to this "bet." The sky was getting a bit darker as the two walked down the street, Kaiba feeling a bit embarrassed as he walked alongside Yugi. 

"So, where are we going, actually?" Kaiba asked hesitantly.

"Well, before we do anything, I'd like you to meet a couple friends, first." Yugi grinned, and pointed straight ahead. There, was Yugi's clique: Joey, Tea, Tristan, and Bakura.

Kaiba immediately stopped walking, but it was too late. All four of them were running up to meet Yugi and his new "friend."

_Nooo…_ Kaiba inwardly groaned. _Not Yugi's little gang…_

"'Ey, Kaiba," Joey got up to them first. "Glad ya could make it!" He smirked sympathetically.

"Zip it, mutt, before I make you silent against your will!" Kaiba glared at Joey.

"I'd love t' see ya try!" Joey leered, as Bakura, Tea, and Tristan got up to them.

"Joey, that wasn't very welcoming!" Tea nudged Joey.

"So, Yugi, you told your faction too, huh?" Kaiba turned his fixed stare to Yugi. "Yugi, I didn't want anyone to know."

"Actually, Kaiba, I didn't tell them a thing. The principal told everyone when you were absent!" Yugi defended himself.

Before Kaiba had a chance to go inside the school and strangle the principal, Bakura's soft voice spoke up.

"Yugi, you told all of us that we were going somewhere."

"Yeah! If it's a fast food place, I'm there!" Tristan agreed.

"Oh!" Yugi smiled at Kaiba. "The first thing that friends do together is hang out, so that's what we're all going to do."

"Yugi," Kaiba stammered. "I don't think…"

"Before we eat," Joey snickered. "Let's go to the arcade!" With that, he took off down the street, followed by Tristan.

"Well," Yugi smiled apologetically at a shocked Kaiba. "We'd better follow those two."

"Really, Yugi," Kaiba glanced at Yugi. "You don't expect me to waste my precious time on video games. I have much, _much_ more better things to do than go to some pergola. Yugi, you don't understand the turmoil of preparing to never see your brother again. You can't imagine what I'm going through right now, and you want me to go to some arcade?"

Yugi thought for a moment, then answered, "Kaiba, your brother's going to be there. It was supposed to be a surprise, but he's at the arcade with Joey. We thought you and him would have a nice time together."

"You brought my brother there?" Kaiba looked exasperated. "I already told you, I'm not going to spend time with you and brood over games, but I'll have to bring Mokuba back."

"Kaiba, will you just stayfive minutes with us?" Bakura appealed.

"I'll think about it, but for now, I have to go find my brother."

With determination, Kaiba marched off down the road, leaving Yugi, Tea, and Bakura alone.

"Boy, can he sure be resolved about something!" Tea piped up.

"Yea, let's go!" spoke Yugi before he took off after Kaiba, the others close behind.

* * *


	5. The Arcade

* * *

When everyone finally caught up to Kaiba, it was in front of the arcade. The huge slogan flashed its logo as Kaiba stopped for a second. 

"Kaiba...please...slow...down!" panted a very fatigued Bakura, who caught up to Kaiba first. Yugi and Tea weren't far behind.

Without saying anything, Kaiba walked into the arcade, followed by Bakura.

Inside the arcade were dozens of games, with dozens of people playing them. One guy was on a surfing game, while another guy was shouting for him to get off because it was his turn. But the first guy, because of the music that was blaring from the speakers, couldn't hear the second guy, and all that it ended up in was a big fight.

"Stupid people," Kaiba watched in disgust. "Fighting over a stupid video game. What imbeciles."

Bakura, for fear of getting in an argument with Kaiba, kept quiet.

Further into the arcade, Kaiba found three people by one specific video game. It was some sort of food game. And the three people were none other than Joey, Tristan, and Mokuba. Kaiba stared in astonishment at the three laughing faces.

"Mokuba!" he shouted, but to no avail. The music and the other people's voices drowned out Kaiba's own voice.

"Kaiba, Mokuba is having fun with us! Let him stay just for a while!" pleaded Bakura.

Ignoring the soft-spoken youth, he furiously stormed over to a laughing and smiling Mokuba, and spun him around.

"SETO!" cried Mokuba, throwing his arms around his elder brother. "I'm so glad you came! Now we can spend some time together!"

"Actually, Mokuba," Kaiba glared at Joey and Tristan's backs, who were so worked up on the game, they didn't even see Mokuba leave. "We have things to do at _home_."

"But Seto..."

"_We are leaving, Mokuba!_ And what I say is final!" Kaiba turned around, grasping Mokuba by the wrist. Bakura slipped back in the crowd, and made his way towards the front of the arcade.

Yugi and Tea finally got into the arcade, and Bakura was waiting for them outside of the arcade.

"What's up, Bakura?" a worn-out Yugi asked.

The white-haired teen shrugged. "Nothing, really. Kaiba is taking Mokuba home, though. I tried to explain to him that Mokuba was having a blast with us, but he ignored me. So, I decided to wait here for you two."

"Swell," groaned Tea, who pushed past Bakura.

"Where are you going, Tea?" asked Bakura, who was watching her sqeeze into the huge crowd of people.

"I think she's having one of her 'little storms'," whispered Yugi, right next to Bakura's ear, because he couldn't hear him otherwise.

"Oh, right," Bakura shook his head sadly. What they meant by "Tea's little storms" was that Tea loved friendship and friends so much, that when she hears something about somebody that is giving someone else a hard time, she gives an angry friendship speech (just a fun inside joke between Yugi and Bakura).

When they got to the place where Tea was, she most likely sorted everything out, because Mokuba was playing the game again with Joey and Tristan, Tea was smiling triumphantly in Kaiba's direction, and Kaiba, arms crossed, was staring at a wall.

"Tea, how did you get Kaiba to change his mind?" inquired a confused Bakura.

"Oh, ya know," replied Tea in a chipper voice, happily watching Mokuba beat Joey at the game. "I just mentioned a couple things about a Blue Eyes I stole from him, and a nice sharp scissors I have in my pocket." Tea smiled, and faced Yugi and Bakura, showing one of Kaiba's Blue Eyes White Dragons.

"How did you get that, Tea?" Bakura asked, wide-eyed.

Tea made her face look mysterious. "I have my ways."

Suddenly, Joey jumped out of the seat, steaming red. "MOKUBA! 'OW DID YA...I MEAN 'OW COULD YA..." Joey couldn't think of anything else to say.

"Joey," answered Mokuba. "I beat you three times already. Let's do something else! I KNOW! PINBALL!"

"Yeah!" Tristan agreed gleefully. "Let's compete in pinball!"

"No," retorted Kaiba, an angry frown sent towards Tea. "Let's go home!"

"NO!" cried Mokuba, giving Kaiba the 'I'm so innocent, and if I can't get what I want, I'm gonna have a break down' stare. "Please, Seto, for me? Jut a few more minutes? _Please?_"

"Fine."

Mokuba happily skipped past the people and up to a pinball machine. Yugi, Kaiba, and the others followed, Kaiba grumbling all the way.

When they got there, Mokuba was already playing a game. In the end, he racked up 980,768 points. He beamed at his big brother. "I bet nobody can beat that!"

"We'll jus' see about dat!" cried Joey in defiance. He stepped up to the machine, and put in the specific amount of money it needed to work. The pinball machine started up, and Joey grinned, because _he knew_ that _he_ could beat an elementary kid.

Well, Joey's score turned out to be 45,000, a long shot away from Mokuba's 980,768 result.

"Dat's not fair!" Joey howled in defeat. "Da piece 'a equipment cheated on me!"

"Even when you're not dueling you're a dog," smirked Kaiba.

Joey glared at him. "Oh, you dink you're so hot," he shouted, steaming at the ears. "Why dun _YOU_ play da game! I bet ya couldn't even beat _my_ score!"

"I could beat _anyone's_ mark, you exasperating canine!"

"Prove it!"

"That I will!" The words slipped out before Kaiba could control his tongue. Joey grinned evilly; he trapped Kaiba, and he knew it. Kaiba glared at Joey, angry that he now had to disgrace himself and play pinball.

Mokuba beamed at his big brother. "Go, Seto! You'll cream him!"

A couple people from neighboring games came over to see what the hubbub was about. When they saw that "The Great" Seto Kaiba was playing pinball, they caused racket and more people came, and well, let's just say in two minutes, everyone from the arcade was crowding around the little pinball machine to see Kaiba participate in a game of pinball.

Kaiba groaned inwardly. 'Now, how did I get in this disaster? I hardly know how to play pinball!' He put the tokens in in front of 400 pairs of eyes, and 399 pairs of eyes watched him pull the little right-handed stick thing that is used to shoot the ball into the nucleus of the game (the one person had to go to the restroom).

Yugi smiled encouragingly at Kaiba and whispered, "You'll do great, Kaiba! You're good at games like this!"

"I've never played _pinball_ before in my life, Yugi!" he hissed back, and with that, shot the ball into the game.

* * *


	6. Gotta Love Pinball!

* * *

The machine immediately started, and the little ball rolled about, _bleep_-ing and _bloop_-ing. The metal sphere rolled around and around, and Kaiba thought that this was a breeze. 

'No wonder my brother can do this so well,' he thought with a smirk. 'It's so straightforward and effortless!' He got so self-confident, he didn't notice the metallic orb roll into the opening at the bottom, until Tristan snickered, and Joey finally burst into laughter.

"Ha, ha, ha, Kaiba! You reek at 'dis game!" the blond teen snorted.

"There's nothing amusing about it, you worrisome dog. I never occupied myself in this game before; it's new to me. But I learn quickly." He didn't add he only learned how to play from watching "the puppy" and Mokuba play.

The second metallic ball came out, and Kaiba, not without a death glare sent towards Joey, shot the ball into the game. This time, he made sure to keep his hands _on_ the left and right buttons. Just as the ball was about to go in the gap _this_ time, he blocked it, sending it back up. Before the sphere went into the fissure, he racked up himself 78,980 points.

"Beat you, mutt," he leered, conveying Joey into despair.

"Nooo, ya beat me 'n everyting!" Joey moped, sitting on the floor. Suddenly, he brightened up. "I bet ya can't beat your little bro!"

"We'll see…" mumbled Kaiba, already racking up more points. He didn't want to admit it, but this game was _fun_! He grinned to himself. 'I should've played this game in my younger years; then I could have enjoyed it more.'

"Hey, Yug'," Joey yelled over the noise the crowd was making. "I tink Kaiba likes hangin' out wid us!"

"That's, great, Joey!" Yugi smiled at Joey, but was more focused on the game.

Tea groaned as Kaiba almost lost but didn't. Her stomach was growling, and she hadn't eaten breakfast because she would've missed ballet practice. 'When would Kaiba let up?'

"You guys," she shouted, but no one heard. "You guys!" Bakura turned his head.

"What is it, Tea?"

"I'm hungry, do you have any money so I can get myself a salad? I'm broke."

"I'm sorry, Tea," Bakura apologized. "But I have no money, as well."

Tea whimpered in sorrow and grief, and, in misery, continued to watch Kaiba play the game. She would've used the Blue Eyes trick again, but that would've made Yugi and Mokuba unhappy. Who would've known that one game would take this long? She didn't see Kaiba have this much fun in his life! He was almost _smiling!_

By the time the third ball went in, he achieved 671,654.

Mokuba gulped. "Seto, you're almost beating me!"

Kaiba smirked. "You're record is about to be broken! You will _lose_!"

Yugi, Tea, Tristan, Bakura, and Joey all stared at Kaiba, who was having the time of his life.

"Kaiba's…gone fanatical!" whispered Joey to Tristan. "I tink he mixed dueling wit pinball."

"I could only agree with you," Tristan whispered back.

Suddenly, Kaiba pounded his fist on the glass of the machine. "Nooo!"

"What!" asked Yugi in alarm. Kaiba glared at him.

"The game must have been messed up! Something's gone wrong!"

"What do you mean, Kaiba?" Bakura asked, tilting his head so he could get a clear view of the pinball machine.

Kaiba sighed. "Mokuba beat me by one point."

"What?" everyone immediately stared up at the scoreboard. Like Kaiba said, his score 980,767 - one point away from victory.

Tea sighed. 'A nice green salad with croutons and dressing would suit me right now…'

"Yay!" cried Mokuba happily. He did a victory dance. "I BEAT MY BIG BROTHER, EVERYONE!" he shouted to the bewildered crowd.

The crowd at once started chattering amongst themselves, but the weirdest thing was not Mokuba's dance, or the looks on Yugi and Co.'s faces, but what Kaiba was doing.

He was playing the pinball machine _again_!

"Uh, Kaiba, don't you think we should get going?" inquired Bakura, looking at his watch. It was around noon. Even the crowd started leaving for lunch.

"Not until I beat Mokuba's score," was the reply Bakura received.

Everyone sweat-dropped except Kaiba.

Mokuba smiled. "I guess my brother found something else to do for fun and recreation besides duel monsters and insulting Joey!"

Joey instantly spun around. "'Ey!"

"Kaiba does seem to be fond of the game pinball, Joey," Bakura tried to calm down a steaming Joey.

"Yeah, Joey, let's just wait a little while for him to finish. After all, I bet he doesn't go out often to the arcade," Yugi whispered.

Joey looked over at Tea. "Whud do ya tink, Tea?"

Tea sighed. "Thirty minutes. I'm famished!" She reached for the Blue Eyes in her pocket to annoy Kaiba. Her eyes widened as she just grasped the inside part of her jacket.

"Where's the card?" She asked frantically.

Mokuba smiled and showed Tea the Blue Eyes White Dragon he held in his hand. "Nyahh!"

Tea's back arched in anger. "How'd you get it, little kid?"

Mokuba grinned malevolently and used Tea's saying from the past chapter. "I have my ways."

And Kaiba continued to play pinball.

_Two hours later…_

Kaiba was on his fourth game of pinball, still trying to beat Mokuba's score, and Tea was fighting to stay alive.

"Come _on_, guys, I'm starving!" screamed a sobbing Tea, still angry that Mokuba had pick-pocketed her.

"Yeah, let's go! I totally agree with Tea," Tristan concurred.

"Led's go!"shouted Joey, rubbing his complaining stomach.

"You know, I _am_ getting quite hungry, a bit of food would settle myself," piped up Bakura.

Yugi looked from Kaiba, to his protesting friends. "Kaiba, I think you've played that game enough. We're all hungry, and…"

"I am _almost_ done so be patient, don't talk to me, and you'll get to go to your precious restaurant!" muttered Kaiba.

Everyone, even Yugi, groaned. Tea leaned against the nearest game over-dramatically, and whimpered, "I'm going to be malnourished! Wasted away! Desiccated! Dehydrated!"

"Desiccated and dehydrated are the same thing, Tea," Bakura grunted, slouched on the floor.

Suddenly, Joey, sitting on the floor, grinned. When Joey grins like that, everyone knows it's unwise to just shrug it off, because the result of a Joey grin is not pretty. So the moment he grinned, Yugi instantaneously replied, "No, Joey."

"But, Yug',"

"_No_, Joey!"

"Why can't we leave Kaiba?"

"Because," Yugi deliberated. "If we do, we'll never be able to try to become friends, and won't that goad our conscience when he's…gone?"

"No." Everyone except Bakura answered.

Yugi rolled his eyes. "Come on, guys! Be reasonable!"

"_Yugi, _we are _starving!_" shouted Tea crossly.

"Dat's it!" Joey did "the grin" again, and stood up.

"Joey, NO!" cried Yugi, but it was too late. Joey had already unplugged the cord.

* * *


	7. Beans, Beans, the Musical Fruit

* * *

After Kaiba broke three of Joey's ribs for unplugging the pinball machine, and pummeled Joey into submission, Yugi finally got Kaiba to get off the machine, and into a restaurant. 

When Kaiba and Mokuba went to a table, Yugi stopped his friends. "Now, guys," he whispered, "let's be _NICE_ to Kaiba; you've all been so mean to him! Joey, enough with the pinball cords! Tea, stop with the pick pocketing! Tristan, no more weird jokes! Bakura, uh…you're fine. Now, let's go."

As they walked over to where Kaiba was, Joey hissed, "Yug', yer not our parents!"

"Then why do I have to treat you like you're three?" Yugi hissed back.

Tea, Tristan, and Joey got to the one plushy side quicker than anything, Yugi got the uncomfortable chair, and poor Bakura had to sit by Kaiba. Mokuba was on the other side of his brother.

Unpleasant silence followed. Except for the noise of other people eating and talking, everything was quiet. The repulsive kind of quiet.

Yugi tried to bring up a subject. He looked at Joey. "So, how is school?"

"Fine."

'That is unlike Joey,' Yugi thought, but then addressed Tea. "How was ballet practice?"

"Fine."

'That was unlike Tea,' Yugi deliberated again, but decided to try again. Tristan won't let him down! "How is your motorcycle?"

"Fine."

'That's it! I'll try one more time!' "Bakura, how is…"

"Fine."

Yugi shut up. He was getting upset that his friends wouldn't talk to him, or try to make this miserable silence end!

Much to Yugi's relief, the waiter came and asked for their order. Then, when he left, the conversation finally started up, even though it wasn't one Yugi particularly enjoyed: gas.

Bakura, inopportunely, got a whiff of the contaminated stench first, even though he wasn't the nearest to the perpetraitor. The old slogan 'the silent ones are the deadliest' fits it right about now.

Bakura started to turn green. The smell spread to Tristan, then Tea, and finally Mokuba, Kaiba, and Yugi.

"Aghh!" screamed Tea, covering her nose with her hand. "I'm infected! Where's the nearest shower?"

"Someone must have had beans!" Tristan gagged.

Mokuba pulled his shirt over his face.

Kaiba did nothing.

Yugi was retching and coughing.

Bakura had to concentrate on not passing out, so he didn't say anything.

"Who did dat?" hollered Joey, laughing slightly to himself.

Everyone looked at him.

"Joey, you stinking, malodorous dog!" shouted Kaiba. "Do you want to kill us all with your fetid reek?"

"Sorry," Joey snickered. "Too many beans, I guess."

At the mention of beans, Mokuba started to say something.

"No, Mokuba! Not here!" Kaiba threatened his little brother with his fist.

Mokuba did it anyway in a singsong voice as Kaiba covered his face with his hands; it was easy to see that he was discomfited.

And Mokuba sang,

"Beans, Beans the musical fruit,

The more you eat, the more you toot,

The more you toot, the better you'll feel,

Let's have beans for every meal!"

"Ha, ha, ha, Mokuba," Joey wasn't smiling anymore.

'Yes,' Yugi thought, 'at least there's a conversation.'

The waiter then came with their lunch. He immediately stopped at their table, and sniffed the air. A nauseating look spread over his face. Then, in one swift movement, he dropped the tray on their table, and ran to the bathroom, screaming all the while. A vile noise followed. Some near-by people stared, wondering what made the waiter…toss his cookies. After smelling the "flavor" of the air, they abruptly got up and left.

Kaiba smirked. "I guess some other people besides us appreciate your disgusting odor."

"Be quiet!" Joey threatened.

"Make me!" Kaiba demanded back.

"Now, come on, guys," reasoned Yugi. "Let's, uh, have a nice lunch, and not spoil it with foul language and _foul odor_, okay?" That last part was indisputably for Joey's ears.

With a growl, Kaiba stood. "I've had enough of this public humiliation. I'm going home! Come on, Mokuba." He started to walk around Bakura.

Mokuba rose, and mouthed, "Help, Yugi!"

Yugi smiled lackadaisically. "Uh, Kaiba, can't you give Joey one more chance?"

Kaiba stopped walking, and turned around, a smirk on his face. "If Joey apologizes for being such a week, insensitive dog and unplugging the PINBALL APPARATUS WHEN I WAS ABOUT TO BEAT MY LITTLE BROTHER!"

"Wha…!" Joey snarled, but looked at Yugi's apologetic face, and sighed. "I'm sorry fer bein' such a weak insensitive dog, and unpluggin' da pinball machine when you was goin' to beat yer little brother."

"That's better," Kaiba smirked again, and sat back down, this time Bakura being in the middle.

Then, everyone started to eat, except the food in Joey stomach did angry flip-flops.

'Why is Kaiba wid us anyways?' he thought bitterly. 'I mean, Yug' said sometin' about Kaiba not bein' wid us longa, but isn't dat a good ting?'

Tea sadly stared at Joey. 'Poor guy, having to admit that was a big mouthful for him. Now, he swallowed so much of that, he has no room for food!' She mentally giggled at her own joke.

In due course, everyone was finished with lunch, and got out of the now empty restaurant. Even the manager was gone, so Yugi left the money on the counter, of course, with a tip.

They all walked outside, and everyone, except Joey, took in a big inhalation of _undiluted _air.

"Ahh, that's _much_ better!" exclaimed Tea, stretching her arms out so she looked like a capital letter 'T' from the rear-view.

"Yeah, but now what do we do?" Bakura asked, keeping his distance from a raving Joey.

"Well," deliberated Yugi. "I thought we would have a nice time out at the zoo!"

"The zoo!" shouted everyone, some in delight, some…not so much in delight.

"Yeah!" Yugi grinned, obviously thinking everyone was agreeable with the suggestion. "Let's start now, before it gets dark!"

He, Joey, Tristan, Bakura, and Mokuba started off. Tea was dragging along Kaiba, who clearly did _not_ want to go.

"Come ON, Kaiba!" cried Tea heatedly. "We'll get to see all the cute little animals there, and maybe we'll get to go to the petting zoo!"

"Do I look like I have all the time in the world, Tea?" Kaiba shot back. "Since our motor-mouth principal told you about everything, I suspected that we could go somewhere that was worth my while. Like, say, my home!"

"Listen, I don't know what you're talking about - I was sick last week - but all I know was that you are going to the zoo!"

And with that, everyone, willing or not, went off to the place where animals were kept for the populace to enjoy (and sometimes unfortunately to make fun of): the zoo.

* * *


	8. A Trip to the Zoo

Note: Joey extensively gets picked on in this chapter. I am not a Joey basher; I just needed someone that was Kaiba's rival in this chapter to get picked on. Heh...

* * *

"'Ey, 're we dere yet?" complained Joey for the umpteenth time. Everyone's feet were sore from walking, and everyone's ears were buzzing with the sound of Joey's whining. Also, the storm clouds rolled away, leaving a bright, merry, sun that was in addition scalding, smoldering, and damaging to the skin at the same time. 

"Joey, please stop being irritable," Bakura finally spoke up. He looked around at everyone. Yugi was taking a breather on the curb. Tea was fanning herself with her hand. Kaiba was wiping sweat off his brow with his sleeve. Tristan was…taking off his shoe and sock and popping a blister that had emerged on the surface of his foot while walking. Mokuba was begging his older brother for a "piggy-back ride" as he called it. Bakura smiled feebly. "We are all…not having a nice time."

Joey smiled in understanding. "Okay, I'll stop askin' 're we dere yet."

All and sundry smiled in relief.

Suddenly, something broke the silence. "'Ey! 'Re we…"

"No, Joey!" shouted Tea, covering her ears and dropping to her knees, crushing a passing-by snail that sadly was at the wrong place at the wrong time. "I'll go insane if you say '_'re we dere yet?_' again!"

Everyone stared at her in amazed astonishment. _She_ was the one who always talked about friendship and would make a livid oration if _anyone_ crossed her or her friend's path and tried to break up their companionship. _She_ was the one who would make an angry speech if anyone littered in the hallway. _She_ cared so much about animals (especially snails) and their well being, she was the one who started the 'Save the Snails' club at school. Now, _she_ mocked her friend's accent, and flattened a transitory snail that just happened to be making its merry little way across the sidewalk!

Yugi, to help Tea out, quickly changed the subject and looked at his watch. "We'd better hurry, guys, so we can have a longer time to stay at the zoo."

His stratagem worked, and everyone started to walk, or in Tristan's case limp, down the sidewalk.

* * *

They finally arrived at the optimistic, carefree, happy-go-lucky zoo. Many people were already inside, though, and other people were in line, paying to get in. Yugi, Kaiba, and the others walked up to the line, which was fairly short, and leaned up against the stone wall that was nearby. 

"Well," sighed Yugi with enthusiasm, even though he was bone-tired. "We're here!"

"'Dat's great…now whut?" Joey flopped down on the ground in exhaustion, though he didn't realize until it was too late thatan elephant got there first and did his…well…one can figure out where we're coming from.

Kaiba couldn't help but smirk. "You're getting to be more like a dog every day, Joey. First you whimper like a canine, now you're sitting in manure! What next?"

Alas, poor Kaiba had to eat his words, for a canary that got loose thought that Kaiba's head would be a perfect spot for his…uh…canary-box.

First, everyone stared, wondering what Kaiba was going to do. Kaiba, eyes wide as they would go, slowly reached up, hoping that the bird didn't do what he thought he did. Then, he touched it. His face turned from a sulking appearance to a grimacing one and he took his hand away and looked at what was now on it.

Everyone (besides Mokuba) burst into laughter.

"_Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha_, Kaiba! 'Dat was hilarious, you birdie!" Joey guffawed as Kaiba furiously stormed into a nearby restroom.

Tea was laughing so hard she thought she might blow a gasket.

Tristan was on the ground laughing, but, regrettably, rolled right into the elephant muck that Joey put his rear into.

Everyone waited until Kaiba came out, laughed some more, and then started their little walk around the zoo property, teasing Kaiba all the way (mostly Joey's teasing voice could be heard).

They strolled past the tigers…the hungry tigers, even though Kaiba thought that Joey would be a perfect morsel for them.

They ambled by the crocodiles, and Kaiba picked Joey up, and pretended to toss him into their gaping jaws. Joey didn't know that Kaiba was teasing him, and screamed to his fellow companions for help. The employee in close proximity told Kaiba that if he wasn't going to behave, they would kick him out of the vicinity. Kaiba shot back that he would have him fired if they did so, but let Joey down nevertheless.

They moseyed past the monkeys. Poor Joey. This just was not his day. Kaiba picked out an ape that was scratching something…and proposed that he be Joey's ancestor.

They made their way to the wild dogs. Joey unluckily leaned to far over the edge, and accidentally fell into the pen.

"Aww, Joey's already making new friends with his ethnic group," leered Kaiba as the staff hauled a terrified Joey out of the enclosure.

Then they meandered over to the elephants. Kaiba once again made a insult at Joey because of his spill with the elephant dung before they went inside.

Joey finally got his revenge at the bird house. The canary that had mistook Kaiba for a bird-box was apparently re-captured and placed back in its cage. The bird was not ostensibly happy, bearing in mind that the bird was banging itself back and forth on the cage that it was interned in.

Tea groaned. "Oh, the poor little thing! It must hate being caged up! I know that _I_ would hate…"

"Curb it, Tea!" Joey grunted.

Kaiba smirked at the poor canary practically committing suicide. "There. _THAT, _my nemesis, is where you belong."

"That's mean, Kaiba!" Tea put her hands on her hips and glared at Kaiba. "He doesn't know any better!"

"Wait, Tea," Joey could hardly keep his joke in. "It can't be a 'he'!"

Tea turned her glare to Joey. "And why's that?"

Joey burst into laughter as he answered her. "Cause I tink it's in love wid Kaiba!"

Joey was partially correct! For the pitiable bird was literally bashing itself against its coop to be let out. Kaiba was the closest one to the bird, and it was as if the bird was deeply head-over-heels in love with him.

No one got it at first. Then, all in one concurrence, they all burst into laughter.

"Yay, Seto!" Mokuba still didn't appear to get it. "You've finally got yourself a girlfriend!" Okay, maybe he did get it.

If that wasn't enough to embarrass Kaiba, plenty of other Bird House visitors joined in the fun.

"When are you gonna go out with her?" one visitor guffawed.

"I think she is _crazily_…no, no…_passionately_ smitten with love!" giggled another.

Kaiba had enough. He thundered out of the Bird House, leaving all his "friends" behind.

Yugi was the first to stop laughing. "Guys?"

"What?" Tea replied, still laughing.

"Do you think that was very nice of us to do?"

"Wha…?" Joey retorted. "It's nice fer a little revenge, dun ya tink? Was it nice fer Kaiba to almost throw me t' da alligators? Was it nice fer Kaiba t' laugh when I almost became wild dog stew? Was it nice t'…"

"No, it wasn't, Joey, but you have to understand, Kaiba isn't going to be around much longer, and I don't think it would be right if we didn't at least try to become friends with him." Yugi started to walk out of the building. He turned to face the group of his friends. "Come on, guys. If you don't follow me, I'll apologize for you, anyway."

Bakura walked up to Yugi, a guilty look on his face. "Wow, I don't know what I was thinking!"

Yugi meekly smiled at the teen. "I agree."

They got outside the edifice, and the bright sun made them all squint.

When Yugi took his hand away from his face, he saw Kaiba sitting on a bench next to the mountain goats. Obviously he thought no one was watching him as he had almost a lonely, far-away expression on his face. Yugi felt more guilty than he ever had before.

He walked up to Kaiba, and smiled when he saw the others right behind him.

"What do you want?" Kaiba, mask firmly back in place, irratibly glared at Joey, who, of course, glared back.

"Joey wants to tell you that he's sorry, and he wants to be friends again." Tea spoke up.

"Oh, really? Can't you tell that pestilence to infuriate someone else?"

Joey's eyes were filled with anger when Kaiba said that. "'Ey! You watch who yer talkin' to!"

"Oh, I can see you clearly, Joey, and I don't like what I see." Kaiba smirked.

"'EY!"

"Guys, can't we all get along for two minutes?" Tristan cried out in frustration.

"I don't have to take this irritation. I'd rather spend my time in my office." Kaiba growled.

"Let's walk around a little more, then let's head back," Yugi offered.

Everyone seemed to be okay with that, so, after wandering by a couple more animals, they stopped at the giraffes for a breather. Joey had bought himself some peanuts, and was feeding the giraffes (and, of course, himself) one by one.

"Well," Yugi stood up, and dusted himself off. "What do ya say we be heading home now?"

"Yes," concurred Bakura. "The zoo is closing in about thirty minutes. Let's go."

"WAIT!" shouted Joey turning around with his back to the giraffes. "Tea, you brought a camera, right?"

Tea looked a little confused. "Yeah…"

Joey put on his best pleading look. "So, would ya mind takin' a picture of me wid dese here giraffes and me teasin' 'dem?"

Tea shrugged. "I don't see why not,"

Joey grinned his preeminent grin, and held the bag of peanuts in one hand, and put his other hand on his hip, in a model pose. Tea snickered, and stepped back a couple paces, in order to get Joey and the giraffes in one shot.

"Say cheese, Joey!" Tea called.

"Cheese!" Joey spoke through his teeth.

Before Tea clicked the 'flash' button, the most peculiar and uncanny thing happened. (Read the bottom of the chapter for an author explanation.) One giraffe, thinking that Joey was teasing him, because he didn't get a peanut yet, reached around and snatched the bag of peanuts out of his Joey's hand with his teeth! Joey screamed in fear, and Tea clicked 'flash'.

Joey was very embarrassed when they walked out of the zoo that day.

When they started to walk home, the rain clouds came out once again, and it started to drizzle. That's when 'it' started.

* * *

Note: About the giraffe thing, that really happened to _me_! My sister was going to take a picture of me when we were at the zoo, and the giraffe scared me to death. I wasn't even feeding it. It just reached around and grabbed my bag! It was pretty expensive; the prices now-a-days for a bag of peanuts at the zoo... 


	9. The Pain Starts

* * *

Well, the seven-some (is that even a word?) all were walking home from the zoo, when the pain around Kaiba's heart started to act up again. He groaned, and held with one hand onto a nearby building for support, and the other hand was pressed to his chest. 

Yugi immediately ran up to his "friend". "Kaiba? Kaiba, are you all right?" Mokuba also dashed to his brother's side.

"Seto? You told me at home you would be fine!"

"I _will_ be…fine if all of you just leave me alone!" Kaiba glared at Yugi for making a scene. He sounded breathless, and there was agony in his voice, like if one sprains his ankle, and someone asks if he's all right, he hurts too much to talk as if nothing was wrong.

"Oh, uh, all right, Kaiba," Yugi shrugged, but kept his kindhearted eyes on Kaiba every so often.

What everyone did _not_ know, is that when Kaiba took his hand away from his chest, blood _covered_ his hand, and stained his shirt.

When they got about half way home, it was easy to see that Kaiba was in 'Level-5' misery. He tried to hide it, but…it wasn't working.

"Kaiba," Tea was even concerned. "Are you like, okay?"

Kaiba glowered at her. "I'm fine, all right? Let's just get..." His jaw snapped shut, and he cringed vaguely.

"Kaiba, uh, you dun seem very fine t' me!" Joey construed.

"Kaiba, we'll help you. Tell us what's wrong," Bakura offered.

"Will you all just _leave me alone_!" Kaiba shouted, then bent over gasping as blood started to gush out of his wound, bursting with force.

"KAIBA!" shouted everyone, except Mokuba who was shouting, "BIG BROTHER!".

"CALL AN AMBULANCE!" screamed Tea, looking away from the panorama.

Despite the fact that Kaiba was protesting that he was all right, Tristan fortuitously had a cell phone, and without delay, dialed for an ambulance.

After a while, an ambulance shot around the corner, lights flashing, and siren blaring. The four paramedics who rode in the vehicle put Kaiba in a stretcher, and quickly jumped inside. There was room for everyone else (even though it was a tight fit) and they all clambered inside.

As Yugi was just about to step inside the ambulance, Tea grabbed his arm.

"Then why didn't you tell us about Kaiba's…Kaiba's…"

Yugi didn't look up. "Kaiba didn't want me to tell any of you, so I respected his wishes. I tried to give hints here and there, but..."

Tea glared at him. "Well, it's a _little_ to late now, huh, Yugi?"

Yugi climbed inside, followed by an angry Tea.

And the ambulance sped away.

* * *

Inside the ambulance, Kaiba gave his death glare to anyone who tried to hold a conversation with him. They had to unbutton his shirt to get all the blood out of the wound so they could have a look at it. Mokuba was crying, bursting everyone's eardrums. 

The paramedics told everyone to be quiet and let them do all the talking unless they are asking questions. Three of them got up from Kaiba's body, and sat down, seemingly exasperated. One of the paramedics kept by Kaiba's side.

"So," said one paramedic, who sat closest to Yugi. "What is all this about?"

Yugi stared at the ground, or in this case, bottom of the ambulance. "Well, Kaiba has this…this…"

"It's nothing!" Kaiba shouted, then started to cough. As he did, little blood droplets spattered onto his shirt, and a little of it sprinkled onto the paramedic's hand.

Another paramedic stared at him as if he was fanatical. "You're going to the hospital, young man," he spoke in a monotone voice. He stared up at Yugi. "Now,_you are going_ to tell us everything that happened, even if we have to _wring_ it out of your little body, and out your insignificant mouth!"

Yugi gulped and came to the conclusion that the guy must _not_ have had a good day. He glanced down at Kaiba. Even _more_ blood was coming out of him for who knows what reason, and if they keep this up, he's not going to make it. He sighed, contemplated on all that happened, then began from the beginning.

* * *

They got to the hospital, and the paramedics rushed Kaiba into the infirmary. 

Yugi and his friends got out of the ambulance, and ran inside the medical center's doors.

Mokuba was crying all the harder now. As the boys got all the information they needed, Tea bent down to Mokuba's level, and spoke softly.

"Mokuba, I'm sure your brother is going to be fine. He said he would. And he never broke a promise to you before,"

Mokuba looked up at her miserably. "He isn't coming back, is he?"

Tea bit her bottom lip. The kid was smarter than she thought. "Mokuba, you're an intelligent, little boy. I'll be frank with you. I don't know if your brother is coming back. He _is_ dying, as much as I know. But I'll tell you this: your brother is pretty strong. He not only has physical and mental strength, but he's got something else to fight for."

Mokuba's eyes widened. "What?"

Tea smiled faintly. "He's got you, Mokuba. He probably wouldn't have made it this far if he didn't have you."

Mokuba mulled over what Tea just said, then the tears gushed into view, as he rushed into her arms. "Thank you, Tea! You gave me whole new hope for my brother!"

Tea returned the embrace as a tear slid down her cheek. "Any time, Mokuba."

Joey walked up to them. "'Ey! You guys ready t' see Kaiba?" Then he looked closely at the two. "You all right?"

Yugi broke the conversation, as he ran up to them. "Come on, guys! We only have a couple minutes!"

Bakura and Tristan also got up to the group.

"I just got Kaiba's room number," Bakura spoke softly. "It's in the E.R.,"

Mokuba looked horrified, and he clutched Tea's hand. Tea consoled him as Bakura gave the room number.

"Let's hurry," Tristan already started running. "The guy at the desk said that we only have twelve minutes to see Kaiba!"

The others took off after Tristan.

* * *


	10. Apologies

* * *

Everyone ran through the E.R. doors. There was a wave of anxiety and trepidation in the air as Yugi, Joey, Bakura, Tea, Mokuba, and Tristan rushed as fast as they could to Kaiba's room. The friends hoped that it wasn't too late. 

Nurses rushed by to other patients with X-ray machines, hypodermic syringes, and other paraphernalia that no one could label, but nobody really cared at the moment. They were all rushing to have a last word with Kaiba, or in Mokuba's case, big brother.

They were running so fast, they almost ran past the door to Kaiba's room. Bakura was the one that noticed it. He slowed down and looked at the door number.

"Hey, guys!" he called. Everyone else skidded to a stop.

"What is it?" Tristan asked as everybody hurried back to Bakura.

"_This_ is _his_ room!" Bakura pointed at the numbers.

"Why are we just standing looking at some numbers when my big brother's in there?" Mokuba shouted, running inside the room, almost knocking a nurse over that was proceeding to walk out of the room.

The nurse looked up at Yugi and his friends. "Remember, you only have twelve minutes!"

Tea stared at the nurse, startled. It was the same nurse they ran into before.

"Okay," Yugi spoke up. The nurse nodded, then walked on to tend to other matters.

They went past the doorway and walked inside the room.

Within the room, besides all the medical stuff, was a hospital bed.

Yugi, Bakura, Joey, Tristan, _AND_ Tea were so quiet (what a feat), that Kaiba and Mokuba didn't seem to hear them come in. Mokuba was crying quietly next to his brother. Kaiba's facial expressions were mixed: sorrow, pain, hurt, if there was one word to describe every terrible thought and feeling, that was all the emotion that Kaiba was undergoing.

As they neared the brothers, they could make out words that were coming from the younger sibling.

"Seto! You promised you would never, ever leave me!" he sobbed, his face in his hands.

"I'm sorry, Mokuba," Kaiba whispered, cringing because of his broken promise to his brother. "I…I couldn't help it this time. Both of us didn't expect this to happen. I'm sorry."

Mokuba started to cry all the harder. Kaiba, endeavoring to ameliorate Mokuba, reached up and embraced him. It wasn't a two-second hug; it was a warm, brotherly embrace. Mokuba squeezed back, chocking on his sobs.

Tea could notice that there wasn't any pride or arrogance in his eyes anymore. It was if there was now a "_new_" Seto Kaiba.

Yugi started to feel embarrassed that he and his friends were barging into one of those "family things". He was about to whisper that they should all quietly leave, when Joey coughed loudly. _Real_ loudly.

It lasted for about twenty seconds. Everyone (including the Kaiba brothers, even though Mokuba was crying) was looking at him.

Joey, after practically coughing himself to death, looked up. He smiled, vastly humiliated. "Sorry," he apologized.

There was an exceedingly lengthy pause, excepting Mokuba's cries.

As Tristan and Tea glared at Joey, Bakura and Yugi gazed at the ground.

Kaiba just continued to stare questionably at the teenagers that came in.

It was Yugi that broke the silence. "Kaiba, I…no…_we_ have to tell you something. We're sorry for…"

Kaiba interrupted him. "No, Yugi. _I _have to tell you…and all your…your friends something. Come here...all of you." When no one made a move, Kaiba closed his eyes. "Please..."

Surprised that Kaiba asked something - even as small as 'please' - Yugi started first, then everyone slowly followed. They made a half-circle around his bed.

There was another slight pause as he opened his eyes, then Seto spoke up. "_I'm_ sorry, for all the things I put you and your friends through in the past-"

Everyone's mouth dropped open. Yugi quickly recovered. "Kaiba, you don't have to…"

Kaiba opened his eyes and glared at him. "_NO_, Yugi!" He sighed at the way Yugi's expression became. "No, Yugi," he repeated, a little softer. "I_ need_ to do this. I would feel better…later on. I apologize to all of you, but I especially need to express regret to you, Yugi, and you, Joey."

Joey jerked his head up when he heard his name called. 'Kaiba jus' didn't, did 'e?' he thought, shocked.

Kaiba continued. "Firstly, Yugi, I apologize for the way I treated you and your Grandpa, and the way I affronted your beliefs. Also for the way I snubbed you every time you proved to me how I was wrong and, well, you were right." He sighed, all his complacency leaving him. "I was too imprudent to see it."

Yugi stared at the young CEO, who had conceit for as long as he had known him. This was a change, and a big one. But Kaiba was going a little too far. "Kaiba, stop…"

"No," Kaiba shook his head and with great difficultly sat up. Everyone could now see how terrible (and gory) the wound really was, even though a bandage covered it. Kaiba appeared to be completely humbled. "Yugi, I am truly sorry. If I need to repay anything, you can just ask."

Yugi looked absolutely taken aback. "Of course I forgive you, and I don't need anything from you, maybe…except your friendship."

Kaiba thought for a minute. Then slowly nodded. "All right." He looked at his injury. "I suppose this is what it takes to see how much better you are than I,"

Yugi again started to protest, but Kaiba stopped him. "I always wanted to be the best, to beat any and everyone that tried to stop me from reaching the top. But I never really become conscious of actual reality. All it actually does is rot away the heart and soul of a person and stop you from loving those closest to you." He looked at Mokuba when he said those words."Unfortunately for me, it's too late to realize it."

Yugi suddenly ran up to Kaiba's side and embraced him. That surprised everyone, especially Kaiba. "Of course it's not too late, Kaiba!"

"Y...yugi!"

"_No_, Kaiba, it's _never_ too late to change! I'm sure Mokuba has seen you before without that cold, heartless mask in place. I've even seen it once or twice, and you're different when it's down, Kaiba!Everyone deserves a second chance, no matter how calloused a person becomes! You can do it, you _can_!"

Kaiba slightly smiled and nodded. "Thank you…Yugi."

As Yugi, doing all he can to not burst into tears, went back to his original spot, a nurse came in, breaching the contented scene. She didn't seem to care, anyway. "You all have four minutes left."

"What!" Tristan demanded. "That couldn't have been eight minutes already!"

"Sorry," the nurse shrugged. "Rules are rules, after all." She closed the door rather ruthlessly.

* * *


	11. It's Time

* * *

The words, 'too late' can mean a variety of things that are excessively appalling. Firstly, you can be _too late_ for a party because you got stuck by a train, and everyone ate their birthday cake without you. You can also be _too late_ to get a pet from the Humane Society because somebody got there first, and you had to have a cockroach as a pet, or something even worse than that (like Tea's squashed snail that doesn't exactly look alive at this point, and is now frying and decaying on the sidewalk). Furthermore, you can as well be _too late_ to become a friend to somebody, because you are dying, and there was nothing you, or anyone else in that matter to help you. The third _too late_ is being put into play at this moment: 

"Four minutes left?" Tea repeated as she held Mokuba, hardly believing what she had just heard. Kaiba finally softened, but it was _too late_. Tea wished he could be like this all the time. He would have been a good friend.

Bakura shook his head and sympathetically watched Mokuba sob into Tea's shirt. He knew exactly what it was like to be friendless, and it wasn't a good feeling whatsoever. Kaiba needed friends desperately, but it was _too late_.

Yugi could think of nothing else except total compassion for the Kaiba brothers. Mokuba would go (back) to an orphanage, full of sorrow and anger. Though Kaiba was, in fact, callus and unkind to him, Yugi knew that Kaiba actually was a kind, caring brother. Now, Kaiba was making things right, but it was _too late_.

Tristan sighed and looked at his toes. 'Who would have thought it would come to this?' he wondered to himself as he knew everyone felt a bit uncomfortable. Kaiba was their enemy; he was their rival ever since they had laid eyes on him. 'But Yugi was right. There _was_ another side to him that no one else saw. He's finally revealing to us his true inner feelings. But...it's _too late_.'

Joey looked around the room, stared at the floor, anywhere but at Seto Kaiba. He suddenly felt terrible about what he did during the time Kaiba was with them.

''_Ey, it wus Kaiba's fault!_' his thoughts shouted angrily at him.

Joey shook his head and tried to clear his mind. It was _too late_ to take back what he said about "a canary", but it _wasn't_ too late to clear things up between the two.

"'Ey, Kaiba?" Joey's feet sort of did a "dance" in place. Joey had to say something, _anything_. But he didn't exactly know what to say. And he only had four minutes.

Kaiba looked over at Joey, and smiled faintly. He _knew_ what Joey _wanted_ to say. "Joey, you shouldn't be the one who is apologizing to me; I…I should be apologizing to you."

It wasn't hard to see that Kaiba was having an even harder time asking for forgiveness to Joey than it was for Yugi. After all, Joey and he had been enemies from the start. But, he forced himself to go on.

"You did absolutely _nothing_ to me the first time we met. I guess I just wanted to pick on you for some anomalous, ridiculous reason. I also am indebted to you, Joey."

He continued through clenched teeth. "I insulted you when you defended your friends, I…I was wrong when I scoffed at what you said. Maybe…maybe I was even jealous of how good you were. I can only offer my deepest apologies, Joey."

Joey couldn't believe his ears! Kaiba…apologizing...to _him_? This is totally _NOT_ Kaiba!

"Kaiba, really, you dun have t' go dat far!" Joey wasn't ready for Kaiba's "outburst". That took him entirely by surprise. He remembered in the past he so badly wanted Kaiba to apologize for so long, then, when it came to it, Joey wasn't ready.

Kaiba smiled, the pain getting even more evident than before. "Joey, just how I said this to Yugi, I have to do this. I want us to part in friendship. Please…" His breathing started to get slower. The little thing at the foot of his bed started to slow down on its '_beeps_'. "Take care of Mokuba…for me. I don't want…him to go back to an orphanage."

"Of course, Kaiba!" Bakura and Yugi both spoke in unison.

"You guys are…the only friends I have…and will ever have," Kaiba's voice was breaking. "Thank you…so much...for caring… I'm so sorry for everything."

Mokuba started to cry again, and hurried back to his brother's bedside. "Big brother! Please don't leave me!"

Kaiba reached up, and with trembling hand, stroked Mokuba's thick black hair. "I apologized to Yugi, Joey, and his friends, but the leading apology goes to you, little brother."

"Me?" Mokuba sniffed. "What for?"

"I broke my promise of always protecting you, always being there. Of all the terrible things I did to people, that one hurt the worst. Please, Mokuba," Kaiba was the one who started to cry now. "Please forgive me! I'm so sorry…"

Mokuba wailed all the harder, and Kaiba drew him in for a last embrace. Then, slowly, with tears still streaming, he let go, and his head rested on his pillow.

"Kaiba! DUN GO!" Joey cried, rushing up to his bed. He knelt down next to Kaiba. As tears spilled down Joey's cheeks, he whispered, "I can't believe I'm saying dis, but, I want you t' live! Please, dun leave!"

Kaiba looked up at Joey, and strained his voice so Joey could hear it. "Joey...my friend, goodbye."

Tea burst into tears as Kaiba closed his eyes. Mokuba was screaming as he cried, clutching onto Tea, and Yugi was choking on his sobs. Tristan and Bakura hugged each other and they cried together.

The same uncaring nurse came into the room, and whisked them all away, mumbling, "It's time now, you all have to leave."

Mokuba was screaming, "No, _no! SETO!_" Tea picked him up, and carried him down the hallway.

A bunch of doctors and nurses passed by, and went into the dying CEO's room. It looked like a sea of white was passing them. By the expression on their faces, it seemed that they didn't expect Seto to live much longer, but they had to try.

Yugi, Joey, Tristan, Tea, Bakura, and Mokuba all sat down in the lobby chairs. As Tea comforted Mokuba, Bakura turned and he saw a minute, elderly lady (what, did you want me to say 'little, old lady'? I had to think of something else, you know!) all dressed in black, sitting in a chair beside him. She was muttering inaudible things. Bakura smiled forlornly, concluding that she had also lost someone, and turned back to Yugi.

"I can hardly believe that Kaiba is actually a door away from death!" Bakura said, still in shock.

Tristan leaned over and shook his head, almost smiling. "You probably mean 'knocking on death's door'."

Bakura glared at him. "You know exactly what I meant, Tristan! This is no time for jokes!"

Tristan suddenly became solemn. "I'm sorry,"

Tea still seemed in shock. "I can't believe that Kaiba's really going! I mean, I can't cry anymore! I'm still in so much shock, it doesn't seem very sad."

Mokuba looked up at Tea. "It seems _very_ real to me, Tea." He sniffled, then clung on her shirt and pulled himself in closer.

"Don't be afraid, Mokuba. I'll make sure you'll be okay," Tea murmured, cradling the small boy in her arms.

Yugi and Joey were all this time lost in their own thoughts.

A nurse suddenly came into the room of the lobby. Unfortunately, the last hope everyone had for Kaiba was demolished, because the nurse sadly spoke,

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Kaiba is gone."

* * *


	12. The End

* * *

It was a very heart-rending time as the six friends said good-bye to each other as they went their separate ways. Mokuba decided to stay at Tea's house, and everyone would switch off days until the judge was finished filing out the case. 

One by one, they all left until only Tea, Yugi, and Mokuba were still standing outside the hospital doors.

"I can't believe this is happening, but it is," Yugi spoke up before they left the lobby.

"I can only agree with you." Tea acquiesced. "Who would have known that…that Kaiba…" she took a deep breath.

Yugi nodded, holding back the tears that threatened to occur all over again. "Yeah, I know what you mean."

Tea held Mokuba's hand. She looked down at Mokuba, who was just staring straight ahead with a blank gaze. "We have to go. See ya, Yugi."

Yugi returned the 'good-bye', and Tea left with Mokuba.

* * *

_Five hours later..._

Mokuba was in the spare bedroom that Tea's parents let him sleep in, while Tea was in her own bedroom.

She finished washing up, and was about to go to bed, when without prior notice, the telephone rang.

"Tea, honey, get the phone!" her mom shouted.

Tea heaved a sigh, then went to the phone, and picked it up. It was Yugi.

"Tea!" Yugi shouted so loudly that Tea had to hold the phone away from her ear.

"What is it?" Tea asked edgily. "What do you want, Yugi? I'm about to go to bed. It's almost midnight!"

"Tea, I want you to get over to my house as quickly as possible! Oh, and bring Mokuba, too!" Yugi hung up.

Tea shrugged, and got Mokuba out of bed. After telling her mom where they were going (her mother would kill her if she didn't), she and the young boy started off for the Motou's house.

"Why does Yugi want us at his house, Tea?" asked a somnolent Mokuba as Tea and he walked up to Yugi's front door.

"I'm not exactly sure, Mokuba," Tea was wondering that exact question as she rang the doorbell.

Almost immediately the door flew open, and an exuberant Yugi ushered them in.

"What is going on Yugi!" Tea exclaimed as she saw Joey, Bakura, and Tristan sitting in chairs.

"You'll see," was all Yugi would say, and he left the room.

Tea gave an inquisitive look to Bakura, but he just returned the same expression.

After a while, Yugi returned, the same excited gaze plastered on his face.

"'Ey, Yug', why'd ya bring us all here?" Joey asked, yawning. It seemed he just woke up.

"Okay, fine, I'll tell you." Yugi grinned from ear to ear. Tea suddenly had a fluttery feeling in her stomach that she couldn't explain.

"What is it?" Tristan hated waiting.

After a suspenseful pause, Yugi suddenly blurted it out. "KAIBA'S ALIVE!"

Everyone was motionless, taking it all in just like at the hospital, but this time differently.

Bakura spoke for everyone. "What?"

Yugi grinned. "I'm sorry I sprung it on you all like that. I called your guy's house as soon as I got the phone call."

Mokuba just sat there, eyes as wide as saucers. I mean, how would you like it if your loved one just died, and suddenly he/she was alive out of the blue? It was too good to be true for Mokuba.

"What phone call?" Tea finally spoke after it sunk in. She felt like rejoicing, jumping up and down and running straight to wherever Kaiba was, but facts first.

"Well," Yugi explained, "A couple minutes after I got home, I got this phone call, so I picked it up, and the guy on the other line said that we made an unexpected and astonishing mistake!"

"Which wus…" Joey hated it when Yugi drolled on and on when he figured out something important.

"Let me finish, Joey!" Yugi exclaimed. "Which was that we had the wrong person!"

"Huh?" Tristan never felt so bewildered in his life.

"Don't you get it?" Yugi beamed, standing up from the excitement. "It was the wrong person!"

"I…uh…still dun get it," Joey shook his head.

"We _were_ talking to my big brother after all; I know him when I see him," Mokuba concurred.

Yugi sighed. "Let me explain: Okay. Yes, Mokuba, we _did_ talk to your brother, but he wasn't the one that died! Some one _else_ died with almost the same name and DNA as Kaiba's, and the doctors got the two forms for the two people mixed up!"

"No one has the same DNA as someone else," Bakura piped up.

Yugi shrugged. "Don't ask me; I'm not the doctor. _But_, anyway, Kaiba's "disease" was actually a mild internal disease! Actually, _this_ is why I essentially got all of you here…" Someone stepped out of the hallway's shadows.

"_No…WAY!_" Mokuba couldn't believe it! It was as if this was all a bad dream and he just woke up into reality! Seto was standing right in front of him! He would be coming home to him! Mokuba stood on shaky legs. "Oh…" He didn't even finish the sentence because in an instant, he was in his brother's arms, crying his eyes out.

"Seto! SETO, you're back with me!" Mokuba cried, clutching onto his elder brother for all he was worth.

"Yes, Mokuba..." Seto wouldn't hold back the tears again. He knelt down to his brother's level and hugged him tightly.

After what seemed like centuries, they let go, and Seto stood back up.

Everyone stared back at him as if it was a delusion.

Joey got up from where he was sitting and walked up to Seto. They were about two feet apart from each other, but that soon changed. Simultaneously, they embraced each other.

"Dun ever scare me like dat eva again!" Joey muttered, tears slipping down his cheeks.

Seto let go of the hug, then grinned as he said, "I won't."

Mokuba went back to Tea and sat on the two-seater byher as all this was taking place, and before he knew it, he was hugging Tea. "I told you, Mokuba!" Tea whispered so only she and the boy could hear. "I told you that your brother wouldn't break his promise to you!"

"Yes, Tea," Mokuba agreed. "I should never have doubted him!" He started to cry tears of joy. "I really thought that Seto wouldn't be coming back…ever!"

Kaiba sat in the chair next to Yugi. Everyone quieted down as he spoke. "I still don't understand…why is everyone…so _jovial_ to see me? I thought you all loathed me with an infatuation!"

Joey spoke up. "I dun know what "infatuation" means, but I'll tell ya what: after what I've seen today, between all of us and yer bro., I know dat under dat arctic exterior lies a warm interior! Kaiba, I never knew dat I'd be friends wit ya, but anything is possible!"

All Seto could reply with was a grin. "I'm still going to call you 'puppy', sorry to say. That is a tradition that will never rupture."

"'Ey!"

Bakura finally spoke up. "Kaiba, you've actually learned what friendship is all about…the hard way."

Kaiba nodded. "I more or less thought it would all be the end of me. I didn't think I was going to make it through that one…but, it turned out to be the simplest of matters. Apparently the problem was caught just as it was starting so they let me right out of the hospital. I just have to go back once every week for a month so they can make sure the small internal problem is fully cleared up."

Tristan smirked. "Who would have thought? Now, I have a friend that's a multi-millionaire! I expect good presents for Christmas, you know!"

"Hah, hah, Tristan. The only thing you'll be getting is a rock."

After a couple minutes of celebration, Joey yawned loudly…_again._ His mouth opened so wide, you could have seen his uvula. "Man, Kaiba 'r no Kaiba, it's da middle of da night, and I gots t' get my beauty sleep." His stood and stretched. "I'll see ya all tomorrow!" he called as he walked out the door.

"Tomorrow?" Kaiba raised an eyebrow. "Tomorrow is Saturday!"

"Oh, Kaiba, don't you know?" Yugi tried to look as dubious as he could.

Kaiba rolled his eyes. "Put in the picture. Enlighten me."

Yugi burst into laughter as he shouted, "We're going to the arcade to play…PINBALL!" (Sweat-drop on Kaiba's part)

After Joey's leave, one by one they all left Yugi's house to get ready for tomorrow, Mokuba grinning from ear to ear and chattering all the way as he went home with Seto.

As Scarlet says in the movie "Gone With the Wind", "Tomorrow…is another day!"

**Fin****

* * *

**

Note: For all you mathematicians out there, I hope you know that it wasn't exactly "a week"; it was in point of fact _five_ days! Interesting, huh?

Thanks to all who reviewed in the past, and to all who are reviewing the edited version.


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